Heart of a Mortal (Loki Romance)

Chapter 20

I woke up sometime close to noon, rolling over and wincing. A rolling, throbbing pain radiated from my lower back. Definitely the beginning of cramps, that was a nice relief - even if I'd rather not have them. I stood slowly.

Rubbing my back gently, I turned to look for Loki. The spot beside me was empty but obviously slept in. He'd been distant still, not even crossing to my side of the bed to hold me during the night. I didn't know how I felt about it exactly. Just bad, wrong somehow. I sighed and shuffled to the bathroom, climbing into the shower. A good half hour later, washed, dressed, and presentable, I went to grab some breakfast. Loki was nowhere to be found; I even checked the roof. There was no sense worrying about him, he would be back sometime this evening. I wasn't feeling up to checking the trail and it was possible he had gone there.

Breakfast wasn't sounding so good anymore. My head was pounding thanks to my backache and my stomach roiled every time I opened the fridge. I settled on toast and tea. Now that I thought about it, one of my students had been coming down with something. He might have given it to me. Tons of explanations, plausible ones. There were bigger things to worry about. I decided to wait it out before canceling my tutoring for the evening.

Work was typical. I had a few skype meetings and went back and forth with articles. They were having a party this week but since they thought I was a hermit, they hadn't invited me. It slipped out in a meeting and the journalist, Kylie, hesitantly invited me. I shrugged.

"Sure, sounds fun. I'll be there." As long as I wasn't sick, at least.

She smiled and made a note to tell whoever organized office parties.

Six o'clock. I wasn't sneezing, coughing, or throwing up so my lessons weren't cancelled. Lily looked up at me with disappointed eyes as I told her Loki was out. But she was just as bubbly as usual and I was glad I hadn't cancelled on her. Something about her bright smiles and loving hugs made a cold seem so much less miserable.

By seven, I was long overdue to start dinner. There was no sign of Loki and I briefly wondered if he had been hurt again. I threw some tomato sauce and browned beef in the crock pot with some beans. Shrugging into a jacket, I started heading for the truck. Better that I go look for him now rather than when it was dark.

The woods were no different than usual, not like that day he passed out. I couldn't find him by the crater or the rocks so I drove back. He'd be home by morning if nothing had happened. But when I returned, the sun was setting and the lights were on in the house. I opened the door to find Loki tasting the chili.

He looked up at me. "Hello. Where were you?"

I huffed. Shrugging out of my jacket, I looked him over. Something felt off. He was standing ramrod straight and his usually soft eyes seemed strange, as though the color had changed and the emotions behind them were totally different. "Looking for you. Got a little worried. Where've you been?"

"I was walking." He murmured, getting himself a bowl.

I watched him sit down at the table. He moved slowly, the way he did when he was in deep thought. "All day? That's a long walk."

"Yes. And?" His sharp gaze flicked up to meet me.

I felt my eyebrows shoot up. Someone was tetchy today. "Okay, okay. I was just saying..." I held my hands up, palms facing him. I let the matter drop, turning instead to dinner.

"Saying what?" He said. I frowned. Something had to be seriously wrong; he'd been weird since he collapsed.

"Nothing, sheesh. Calm down."

"I am calm." He ground out.

I looked at him over my shoulder. He was tense, holding his spoon in a viselike grip. His eyes studied me, waiting for something. "It was just weird, okay? It's nothing, I was just curious."